Wyoming Game & Fish Director Angi Bruce called into the Weekday Wake-Up on Tuesday, December 2 with her monthly report. Director Bruce discussed the implementation of commercial fishing regulations and public input on black bear hunts.

(0:00) Joining us live over the phone today is Director Angie Bruce with the Wyoming Game and Fish (0:04) Department. (0:05) Director Bruce, as always, it’s a pleasure. (0:07) Good morning.

(007) How are you today? (0:09) It is a pleasure. (0:10) Duke, I’m doing really well. (0:12) Got through a bad, nasty cold that seems to be going around, but I have my voice back.

(0:17) So good to chat today. (0:18) I think everybody has gotten it and it just, it really lingers around, doesn’t it? (0:22) Yeah. (0:22) Glad to hear you’re better.

(0:24) Yep. (0:25) Thank you. (0:26) Well, Director, a couple of items we can start off with.

(0:29) You and I have talked about over the course of this year a couple of times the commercial (0:32) fishing boat and guide regulations that was legislation that came out of the last session (0:37) and it sounds like things have kind of settled and those regulations go into effect January (0:42) 1, correct? (0:43) Absolutely. (0:44) Yeah. (0:45) So you can purchase your registration stickers now.

(0:49) Like you said, this was a result of a new state statute that went into place last year. (0:55) And so we will be registering outfitters and guides, those that do commercial fishing (1:01) guide services on our waters in this state. (1:04) You can do so online.

(1:06) You can apply and we will send you it in the mail or you can stop by any of our regional (1:10) office or our headquarters. (1:12) Want to remind people there is a fee to cover our costs. (1:16) Two stickers that you’ll need displayed on your boat and trailer for $325 is the cost.

(1:23) But more importantly, what this will do is those who register will be required to submit (1:30) a report to us twice a year. (1:32) This will give us information on where they’re guiding, how often, and where at. (1:37) And that data and information we will then take back to the legislative committee and (1:44) be talking to them about the next steps, if regulation is needed, if restrictions are (1:50) needed, and what that looks like and who will be doing them.

(1:52) So again, this first piece of registering your boat is required by January 1st. (1:58) Director, I think about some of the waterways here in our part of the country, Salt River, (2:04) Grays River, I don’t know that it’s getting a lot of commercial access, but is there currently (2:10) a limit of how many commercial outfitters are allowed on a small waterway like that (2:15) or is that still to be determined? (2:18) Great question, Duke. (2:19) No limit.

(2:20) This is not a restriction in any way, shape, or form as of now. (2:24) This is just, again, registering to collect the data. (2:28) You know, over the years, people assume and maybe there is overcrowding in some areas.

(2:35) It’s hard to sort out, is that coming from the commercial side or is that just coming (2:39) from the public side? (2:41) And so this data will help us sort that out to see if restrictions in the future may be (2:46) needed. (2:46) But as of today, no restrictions whatsoever. (2:50) All right, that’s Director Angie Bruce on the weekday wake up this morning.

(2:53) Director Black Bear Hunting, I know there’s been a couple public meetings held, one in (2:57) Jackson, another one up and coming in southwest Wyoming. (3:00) Walk us through what the conversation is on these public meetings in regards to the black (3:05) bear hunt. (3:06) Great, yes.

(3:07) Every three years, we look at our black bear seasons and we reassess. (3:12) We look at the data and say, do we need to do something different? (3:14) Are the amount of license that we issue enough or too much? (3:19) And so that’s really what this is about and gaining public input to help us understand (3:23) that. (3:24) The data tells us that black bear population continues to grow in this state.

(3:29) And therefore, what we’re proposing in primarily seven locations in the state, a cluster of (3:36) hunt areas north of you guys, to have an increase because of what the population is telling us. (3:43) You know, it’s interesting if we look at the trend of the last 30 years, we continue (3:47) to go up in black bear population. (3:50) And as the population goes up, what we’re also seeing is an increase in interest in black (3:56) bear hunting.

(3:57) And that’s exciting to see opportunity, especially when we have, you know, limited license and (4:03) things like mule deer and antelope. (4:06) It’s nice to say, well, maybe pivot for a few years to black bear hunting. (4:11) So it’s interesting to me, me not being a black bear hunter, really intrigued by this.

(4:16) I might have to give it a try. (4:18) But the harvest is something, you know, this is a trophy animal and our harvest stays around (4:23) 10%. (4:25) So give it a try.

(4:26) And I like to set people’s expectations of, you know, it might take a few years with only (4:30) 10% harvest per individual. (4:33) It can be challenging. (4:36) The director in it, that kind of leads into a topic we haven’t discussed yet for a couple (4:41) of months, and that’s the grizzly bear.

(4:43) And obviously, there’s still kind of that crossover between management with the federal (4:47) government. (4:48) Is there any updates or anything new that’s happened there as far as grizzly bear management (4:52) in the state? (4:53) Not anything new. (4:55) Unfortunately, they’re still under federal management.

(4:59) And we are working pretty aggressively on that issue on a number of fronts. (5:04) So Representative Hageman has a bill that passed through committee and is ready for (5:10) the House floor. (5:11) We are working on that congressional end of it, but we are also working with our Fish (5:16) and Wildlife Service director, Brian Neswick, who I know most people know him pretty well (5:20) in the state, on looking at the science and ways to delist the bears in Wyoming.

(5:27) So I ask for people’s patience. (5:29) I don’t really have much when it comes to this topic, but patience is needed, and there (5:34) should be some more public-facing things coming in the next six months or so. (5:38) Director Angie Bruce with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

(5:41) Anything else happening in the department you’d like to mention today, Director? (5:45) I do just want to put a plug in. (5:47) You know, it’s the holidays. (5:49) We just, hopefully everybody had a good Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching.

(5:52) So think of, you know, your friends and family who love fish and wildlife and what you may (5:59) give them this holiday season. (6:01) You know, we, I always think a great gift would be something that is an experience for (6:05) them. (6:06) So buying them a hunting license, a conservation stamp, a fishing license.

(6:11) We also, I think a great gift for those that you don’t know what to buy for them might (6:15) be our magazine and just sharing your love for wildlife with other people. (6:21) So just wanted to put a plug in for keeping us in mind during this holiday season. (6:26) Absolutely.

(6:26) And those items are all available on the Game and Fish website, correct? (6:30) Absolutely. (6:31) You can walk into a regional office or the headquarters or our Game and Fish website (6:35) and even have our store online too. (6:38) So you might want to pick up a sweatshirt or a t-shirt there too.

(6:41) Love it. (6:42) That’s Director Angie Bruce, Wyoming Game and Fish on the Weekday Wake-Up. (6:45) Director, thank you so much.

(6:46) Have a great holiday. (6:47) We’ll talk to you in the new year. (6:49) Thanks, Duke.

(6:49) You too. (6:50) It’s part of the Weekday Wake-Up This Morning on SVI Radio.